


Normal

by spilledanocean



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-04-06 05:18:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19055989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spilledanocean/pseuds/spilledanocean
Summary: Several years after Endgame, Morgan finds herself dealing with the cluster of emotions circling her mind.





	Normal

**Author's Note:**

> This is my toe into the water of publishing writing so it's on the short side- but I hope to work to writing longer more intricate things in the future. Hope you enjoy!

“At least” Morgan choked, “you have someone to remember.” 

The facade of her tranquillity came crumbling down, revealing the anguish and fury behind it. Her arms instinctively rose to shield her torso- to obscure the hastened rise and fall of her chest. There was not a single drop of water in her eyes. But it seemed that the clench of her jaw was the dam holding it all back.

“He knew you. That’s what counts,” Pepper consoled.

“But I never knew him! And I never will! I don’t know how he spoke, I don’t know what he loved and hated-”

“He loved you, Morgan.” 

The quiver in Pepper’s voice hurt her more. Morgan didn’t want her to be scared, she just wanted her to understand. To see how utterly disorientated she felt so she could pull her out of the labyrinth. 

“I don’t know why he did what he did. Did he do it all for Peter, then? Was that it?” The words were acid in Morgan’s throat. 

“Morgan…” Peter began, tears already rolling down his own cheeks.

“Peter, you don’t have to answer,” Pepper assured, a flicker of concern for the kid quickly replaced by her own hurt.

Morgan’s nails dug deep into her palms and she forced them deeper.

“No, Mrs. Potts. It’s okay.” Peter rubbed his cheek dry. “Morgan, he didn’t do it- didn’t do it for me. Mr. Stark... Your dad, he did it for everyone.”

Pepper moved to console Peter, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. That left Morgan on her own side of the room and it suddenly seemed very clear that ‘everyone’ didn’t include her.

Morgan’s nails broke past the flesh. Her dad’s selflessness didn’t make it any fairer. He’d sacrificed it all for the world before she’d gotten to be a part of it. 

“They all take it for granted. They’ve carried on with their lives completely forgetting they may not have had one in the first place. How can they just move on like that? Forget who they had- who they got to have,” Morgan paused for a moment, scrutinizing the other two across from her. 

“They haven’t forgotten. They’re grateful. We all are. He wanted them to move on. They’ve returned back to their lives and that was his goal- it was everyone’s goal.” Pepper’s composure began to return. Her words though slowly spoken were careful and honest. 

Morgan silently wished she could be like her. But her mind was not about to halt the millions of conflicting questions, worries, and accusations it had.

“What about our lives? What part of this normal? How can this be the end goal? Nothing can be normal because he isn’t here!” Her throat unclasped as a sob escaped her grasp. The air seemed to let the sound linger, humiliating Morgan further. 

“It won’t be,” Pepper answered simply. Morgan completed the thought in her head. Pepper had admitted it- it wouldn’t be normal, not with Dad gone. Everyone else would be, except their family. 

The verbalization of this truth and Morgan’s greatest fear brought her crumbling down the second time that day. Another defensive layer cracking and leaving only her left. Her body curled in on itself as she slumped to the floor. 

She knew from the scuffing of shoes that someone had crouched down to her level. A hand ran through the front of her hair, pulling the loose strands of her back behind her ears. She let her eyes flicker open for a moment, recognizing red beyond her obscured vision- Pepper. 

Accusation flooded away, Morgan let her body slump into her shoulder. Her face pressed into the soft fabric of Pepper's blouse.

Morgan whispered the last question left on her mind, silent enough she hoped no one could hear but prayed someone would answer.

"What are we going to do?"

A hesitant hand on her shoulder alerted her to another presence- Peter.

"We'll stick together. For him." His voice was soft, yet confidently reassuring. Combined with the warmth of Pepper's presence, Morgan could feel the heaving of her chest begin to settle and her head empty.

"Was that a spider-pun?" She asked, throat still hoarse but a smirk playing on her lips.

"It wasn't intentional." Peter defended. "Maybe." He confessed, laughter resonating with his words.

Despite how hard she thought she crashed, and how impossible it seemed to feel okay, Morgan felt herself giggle. She could feel Pepper smile too, head lightly resting on her.

It wasn't normal. But she was safe with her family. That's what counted.


End file.
